The Papa Bear Surrender Speech
by Pen-or-Sword
Summary: Little story for "Is There a Traitor in the House". I have always thought there was a scene missing.


Disclaimer: I don't own any Hogan's Heroes characters.

This is a little story for "Is There a Traitor in the House". I have always thought there was a scene missing in this episode. Here is my attempt to fill the gap.

The Heroes have vital information about a secret ball bearing plant, but due to an air raid they can't radio London. Meanwhile Berlin Betty is trying to recruit volunteers for her propaganda program.

* * *

**The Papa Bear Surrender Speech**

Schultz was ready to surrender and lay down his hardly ever loaded weapon for Berlin Betty. That was understandable. But certainly none of the prisoners of Stalag 13 was seriously tempted to hold a little surrender speech. Klink, however, didn't want to give up just like that.

_"Colonel Hogan, I think that you and your men would do very well to listen to Berlin Betty's advice."_

_"She is very persuasive, sir."_

_"Oh, I'm sure she's convinced many of your comrades to come to their senses."_

_"I just hope she isn't heard in London. She could ruin morale over there."_

_"For your information, Hogan, we broadcast Berlin Betty to London every night just after the cricket scores. Dismissed!"_

Colonel Hogan's men gathered around him. For LeBeau and Newkirk the Berlin Betty broadcast was a welcome occasion for happy banter.

_"I'm sorry to hear she broadcasts to London. The English are so easily taken in."_

_"Tell that to Napoleon."_

But in Hogan's mind a plan was already beginning to form.

_"LeBeau may be right."_

_"You don't believe that."_

_"No, but I think the Krauts might."_

The prisoners of Stalag 13 went back to their barracks. Everybody was getting ready for bed or tried to stall a little bit by getting engaged in some other activity, except for Colonel Hogan and his core group. They got together in the CO's office and listened to his latest idea on how to communicate the information about the ball bearing plant to London.

"We use Berlin Betty to get the message across," Hogan started to explain.

"Puts the woman to some good use," LeBeau chimed in, which was answered by some chuckles.

"Newkirk, tomorrow you volunteer for the surrender speech," Colonel Hogan stated, ignoring the comment and lack of seriousness displayed by some of his men.

"Why me, Colonel?" Newkirk sounded everything but happy about these prospects.

"That's easy," Carter piped up, just when Colonel Hogan had opened his mouth to say something. Now he preferred to close it again, almost curious what Carter was about to say.

"Because," Carter continued very pleased with himself, much to the annoyance of his English friend, "the Krauts will expect an Englishman to fall for Berlin Betty."

"That's right," Hogan agreed.

"That's bloody charming, that's what it is," was all Newkirk was willing to say before he went into a huff. The Corporal felt honestly unhappy, but didn't want to admit to anything. So Newkirk preferred to wring his side cap in his hands and looked at an undefined spot on the floor. Nobody seemed to notice or, well, they were just used to the fact that Newkirk often was reluctant with certain kinds of missions.

"O.K., time for bed, men. Good night," Colonel Hogan ended the matter.

With a chorus of good nights Carter, Kinch and LeBeau went back to the common room; only Newkirk stayed behind.

He didn't know how to smoothly start a conversation he rather dreaded, so he just coughed slightly to let the Colonel know that he was still there.

Hogan turned around to face his Corporal. The CO had already started to get ready for the night, the topic Berlin Betty was obviously closed for him.

"Can I do something for you, Newkirk?" Colonel Hogan asked.

"Is that an order, sir?" The Englishman began without reintroducing the topic.

Hogan looked at Newkirk for two seconds before recollecting what the Corporal was referring to.

"No, it's not an order. This is on a voluntary basis. You know that." Colonel Hogan was not surprised because he knew Newkirk had no problems with speaking his mind freely and tell his CO what he thought about missions. Most of the time, the Colonel didn't mind. Now and then, the Englishman had discovered serious lacks in Hogan's strategic planning and prevented them all from possibly fatal outcomes. Yet, the CO was also surprised, because this little broadcast seemed a walk in the park compared to other more daring ventures they had already accomplished. He decided to outright ask his Corporal's opinion.

"Is there a problem with the mission?"

Newkirk was still wringing his side cap in his hands, but finally looked up to meet Colonel Hogan's eyes.

"It's just that people in England are going to hear this," the Englishman said rather reluctantly.

"That's the whole point of the broadcast. We have important information that has to be transmitted to London and at the moment no alternative means to do so,"

the Colonel explained patiently.

"I know that. I've been wondering how the broadcast will be received," Newkirk mumbled.

"London will know that it's a message from us as soon as they hear the words Papa Bear," Hogan clarified.

Newkirk sighed. This conversation made him feel deeply uncomfortable and the longer he didn't reveal what was bothering him the longer would it last.

"I know, but what will people think?" He regretted this sentence as soon as it came out. It sounded too much like: what will the neighbours think?

Colonel Hogan, however, decided to skip teasing his Corporal with the jokes that immediately had come to mind. When his outspoken Englishman didn't speak, it had to mean something. It would probably take a while to work their way to the real problem, so Hogan resigned himself to patiently keeping up the question and answer game.

"Since when do you care what people might think?" he asked.

Newkirk said in a decidedly louder voice: "I care what me sister thinks and me mates at home."

Colonel Hogan didn't miss the annoyance that could clearly be heard in Newkirk's voice. _O.K. it's getting warmer_.

"And what will they think?" the Colonel asked.

"They will think I'm either crackers or worse a bloody traitor," the Corporal stated.

"I wouldn't go that far ...," Hogan started to say, but was interrupted by a considerably more rapid Newkirk.

"What?" he burst out. "I'm going to ask my countrymen to lay down their arms and give up. How does this sound to you then?"

"It sounds like you want to save the lives of your countrymen and prevent them from further suffering." Hogan said in a friendly tone. He was still far from losing his cool. Even though Newkirk had abandoned the 'sirs' some time ago and his tone left much to be desired.

"Are you kidding me?" Newkirk practically yelled at his CO, but his tone softened immediately and he silently added, "They will think I've given up and that makes me look...," he trailed off.

"Weak." Hogan half guessed, half concluded.

Newkirk nodded and looked away.

"Finally we've gotten to the point," Hogan thought.

But before he could say anything else, unexpectedly another voice could be heard.

"Boy, we know you're not weak. You're one of the strongest persons I've ever met in my life. I mean not strong strong. Kinch is stronger than you, of course. I mean, not that you're not strong. Kinch is just stronger. "

"Andrew ...," Newkirk said softly, but Carter was not done yet.

"But you have so much inner strength. You've been through so much in your life, LeBeau told me, and you've never given up. You're not weak, you'd never give up."

Colonel Hogan had listened with an amused smile on his face. Sometimes Carter said everything that needed to be said, and more. The CO's gaze went from the American Sergeant to the Englishman. Newkirk looked flabbergasted. But that's what you get when you fail to close the door and don't keep your voice down. At least LeBeau and Kinch were nowhere to be seen. That was the only consolation available for the speechless Corporal right now.

Carter seemed to be finished with his little speech and had fallen silent. His face blushed into an ingenuous pink.

Colonel Hogan returned his attention back to the original topic and addressed Newkirk, "I can't order you to do this surrender speech. It's important to transmit the information, but you already know that. I haven't realised before what sacrifice that means for you. When the war is over there will be no need for secrecy any longer. Believe me, our operation here is and remains unique. And I will make sure that you, all of you, will have the medals you deserve. Until then, well, we have to make the best of it. That means for you, when you decide to do this, you will have to live with what other people back at home might think about you. If you feel..."

Hogan stopped for a moment to send another amused smile to Carter, "...strong enough to look weak, let me know. You've got time till tomorrow morning to make up your mind."

When Newkirk showed no intention to leave, Colonel Hogan asked him, "Is there anything else bothering you?"

"I'd appreciate it when this here little chat stayed between us three." The Englishman looked at Carter who nodded enthusiastically. While the American didn't really get why it was important for his best friend to keep hush-hush about this, he agreed without hesitation. It was important for Newkirk and that was a good enough reason for Carter.

The CO had no intention to inflict damage on the devil-may-care image Newkirk liked to present. It was nice, however, to see another side of him for a change.

"Alright. Go to bed now. I expect tomorrow is going to be a long day for all of us," Hogan said and added in thoughts, "especially for Newkirk. I hope."

Already standing in the door frame Newkirk turned around and remarked, "Guess about two thirds of the people I met in my life thought I was nothing more than a thieving Cockney bastard." Suddenly a wide grin lightened his expression, "why not add weak and traitor to that list?"

Now it was Carter's turn to look dumbfounded. He would have appreciated subtitles like in French movies for better understanding.

Colonel Hogan for his part didn't need any help to decode the look Newkirk sent him transmitted the message _Thanks for seeing more in me than that_. The CO answered with an understanding nod _You're welcome._

Message received.

Newkirk, now in a considerably better mood, patted his mate Carter on the shoulder and said after a yawn, "Let's go for a kip. Good night then."


End file.
